Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-08-20
CALIFORNIA MOUNTAIN SPRINGS.
A Brief Trip from Sacramento for an
Over-Sunday R~crestiOn.

A Brfef Trip from Sacramento for an
Over-Sunday Recreation.
EDS. RECORD UNION: During the months
of July and August there are large num-
Der of travellers to the Bartlett Springs re-
gion in search of health, and where weak
lungs, livers and kidneys are reported to be
magically renovated by natures compound.
These magical effects are said to be found
at Aliens Springs, three miles this side of
Bartlett Springs, as well as at the latter
place.
The writer made brief visit to this Sec
ton lately. He took the morning train
from Sacramento which runs northward
on the west side of the Sacramento river.
through Davisville, Woodland and Will
Jams. to Colusa Junction There he
changed to the narrow-gauge road, which
minus, Sites Station, through vast wheat
fields. After dinner we were packed into
the stage at 2:30 P. NJ, and journeyed there
in until 10 p. NJ, over mountain roads IA
miliar to all Californians, because thew are
all alike.
The stage suddenly drew up at Aliens.
to find a crowd of ladies and children
dancing in the hotel office The dance
suddenly stopped, and everybody hocked
with cheer to the porch to see who should
alight.
The next morning began an inspection
OF the situation. Imagine narrow rayine
between two lofty and steep mountains.
A little creek hugs the west bank in its
gully of ten feet deep and twenty feet wide
On the edge of this is the usual mountain
hotel of about thirty rooms-none plastered
but all-neatly papered and clean and
with good beds. The table is very good
we will say here, and your appetite is
always ready for it. lighthouses, saloon
and stables are in the same line along the
creek towards the south, and toward the
north lie the principal springs and a good
hall, with an excellent floor for dancing
large enough for three quadrilles. This is
raised fifteen feet from the ground, and the
ground floor is provided with tables and
benches for picnickers. Just here is the
chalybeate spring, which is regarded as
wonderful tonic, and to which the visitors
flock frequently as if it were an ice-cream
soda fountain on free basis.
The stage road-none too wide-is kept
watered in front of the hotel, and on the
opposite edge of it rises the mountain.
holding two dozen neatly whitened cabins.
Plenty of trees and shrubs make this spot
pleasanter to the eye than perhaps any
within many miles.
There were about fifty people in the set
tlement, principally ladies and children.
all well acquainted with each other, and all
bent on being merry.
A steady old horse hauled the writer that
morning five miles up and down the noun
tain road, with five children, on a two
seated blackboard, to Hough's Springs; one
of the children drove-the writer hardly
dared to take the rens.
The afternoons are warm, and the ex-
ample of the birds is followed-eyerybody
rests. Some lounge in hammocks under
the cool shade along the creek others sleep
as though they had not slept at all through
the deliciously cold nights under three
blankets
After dinner signs of lite begin to appear.
The ladies seem to be attired in light sum-
mer dresses, and something is evidently 10
happen. The writer is invited to mount
the blackboard with some lads, and drive
to Bartlett's three miles), and get a VIC
lin-string." Of we go, and find Bartlett's
a collection of cabins and male invalids
but no signs of dance there, although the
little store contains violin-sirings and
everything else that can be wanted.
The boys took the writer to the top of a
high hill, where some men had cut a
tunnel to an unknown length and aban-
doned it. We enter it few feet and no.
tice that our shoulders are as low as the
sill of the entrance, and that the ground
is warming our feet. We light candles
and slowly lower them from our eyes to
our shoulders and find that the deadly
gas pushes the fame up the wick and off
the top of 1t and out. Birds and lizards
have come in here and died. How the
miners ever dug the tunnel is a mystery
Back to Aliens Springs we CO. and find
guitar and violin tuning up, and the
whole company then marches a short dis
lance to the dancing hall, which is alight.
Three ouadrilles are formed on the waxed
floor, everybody is introduced to every
body else, and the fun begins. There are
about sixty persons present, and half of
them are children. Between dances il is
etiquette to go down to the chalybeate
spring alongside for refreshing drink.
The climax was reached when Dan
Tucker" was announced, and the ener-
getic leader got into the line himself and
gave the word of command. One man
after another was left without lady, and
wheeled into the center of the wide circle
to take his chances. The writer was
Marked imam, and the programme was laid
10 put him in the center. Luckily be was just
behind the leader, and as the latter
shouted Tucker!" and reached back to
seize the belle of the ballroom, the writer
quickly pushed his hand aside and carried
the lady past him, and Mr.. Leader became
Mrs. Tucker" amid the shouts of the
children.
Sunday is always quietly observed with
picnic. That means three wagons of seven
adults and dozen children, and long
climb up the mountains to a sawmill, where
the excellent proprietor is discovered all
alone in his neat cabin.
The children push the car up the railway,
climb thereon and ride down to the mill
repeatedly. The ladies admire the neat
ness of the bachelors kitchen, and finally
place all the children around the table to
lunch upon the champagne basket which
the landlord slipped into one of the wagons
One of the ladies was extremely anxious
for cup of tea 50 Mr.. Bachelor built lit
tie fire to heat the kettle, and was sur
prised to find afterwards that this was lit
tie subterfuge, when the ladies took hold
and washed his dishes.
The whole crowd then went and took re-
peated sips from his fine spring, and then
went to the highest point of his railway.
He rolled log on the car; everybody
mounted the monster, and away we rolled
for the mill.
We left the next morning at five o'clock.
well covered with overcoats, and seated by
the driver and had a splendid ride to the
railroad station, arriving at II A. NJ, and
I'LL L